First Rockets flights (rocket mail) 1931 to 1970 (all nations)

The first rocket trials has been started in different countries all over the world in the early 30s years of the last century, after the first
stratospheric balloon flights.

The base for all this trials have been the development work and calculations of the three pioneers Oberth (Germany), Ziolkowski (Russia) and Goddard
(USA).

One group of rocket engineers has been started in different parts of the world as there are for example Austria (Schmiedl), Germany (Tilling,
Zucker), Netherlands/France (Roberti), Poland (Zucker), Yogoslavia(Weihs), India (Smith), USA (Ley, Rumbel) and Australia with their postalic intention and background by using the
rockets to reach difficult landscaps for the delivery and transportation of mails.

The other group around Herman Oberth and Werner von Braun in Germanyhad their headoffice and development center in Peenemünde since 1935
and made strong efforts in research and development of lng-distance missiles..

In Peenemünde they constructedthe A2/A4(Aggregat 4)/V2 rockets with military intention to reach the other countries around Germany
during second world war and of course intention to reach space with their rockets.

With the first successful launch of the V2 on 3th of october 1942, scientists like Dr.Werner von Braun marked the beginning of a new aera in technology,
so called space travel.

The V2 rocket was more or less the base for the further developments in the US and Russia after the second world war was finished.

Even China have used for their first rocket trials some technics from the older A4/V2 rockets via the russian Wostok and
Sojus spacecrafts.

First Rocketpioneers

Konstantin Ziolkowski (Russia)

born 1857 Ischewskoje, Russia

died

Hermann Oberth (Romania,Germany)

born 1894 in Hermannstadt, Romania

died 1989 in Nürnberg, Germany

Robert Goddard (USA)

born 1882 in Worcester, USA

died

Germany rocket trials 1931 to 1957

Germany Reinhold
Tilling

Born 13.06.1893
in Absberg (Germany)

Died
10.10.1933 in Osnabrück (Germany)

First german pioneer and launched his first rocket at Dümmersee , near Osnabrück (Germany),

on 15.04.1931

During explosion of the preparation for his second rocket trial on 10.10.1933, Tilling and two assistents died.

Germany Gerhard
Zucker

Born
22.11.1908 in Hasselfelde (Germany)

Died
04.02.1985 in Düren (Germany)

First rocket trial 31.08.1033 from Hasselfed to Stiege (Harz).

Her carried out as well rocket trials in England, Italy and Switzerland.

Rocket trials by him in the USA may 1936 during the stampexhibition was not realized.

Germany Peenemünde (Heimat-Artillerie-Park 11)
1936-1945

Verein für Raumschiffahrt (VfR) 1927

Raketenflugplatz Berlin-Reinikendorf 1930,

Raketenversuchsstelle des Heeresamtes Kummersdorf 1932,

Peenemünde on Usedom , developing of the A4/V2 1936,

Karlshagen on Usedom (residential area for the scientists of
Peenemünde)

Parchim V2 rocket storage and camp for foreign prisoners for rocket
production

Production V1 and V2 in Mittelbau-Dora(Thüringen, Nordhausen) and Kassel
(Lohfelden)

After the first rocket trials of the group of Oberth and Nebel in Berlin-Reinikendorf 1930 and in Kummersdorf 1932 at the Heeresversuchsanstalt, in april
1936 it was decided that the new Versuchsanstalt for the further developing of the V1 and V2 rockets should be shifted to Peenemünde on the island of Usedom after the visit of Wernher von Braun
in december 1935 on the island.

Partly there have been 18.000 persons on work to realize the project in short time.

In Peenemünde the group of Oberth and von Braun developed the rockets which could reach already altitudes of around 85 km, first rocket flight of A4 on
03.10.1942.

It should not be forgotten that the development and the construction of the A4/V2 rocket was mainly done in Mittelwerk Dora with only informal workers and
prisoners and thousands of this people lost their lifes under inhuman living conditions.

After WW II the hardware and software have been shiftet together with the responsible inventors to the US and the Soviet Union.

Fort Bliss (near White Sands) in the USA and Gorodomtja am Seligersee (near Moscow) in Russia were the centers of the further developments of the rocket
technology.

Wernher von Braun

Born 23.03.1912 in Wirsitz (Germany)

Died 16.06.1977 in Alexandria (USA)

Hermann Oberth

Born 1894 in Hermannstadt, Romania

Died 28.12.1989 in Nürnberg, Germany

Other german Pioneers

Rudolf Nebel

born 21.03.1894 Weißenburg (Germany)

died 18.09.1978 Düsseldorf (Germany)

Germany rocket trials 1957 to 1970

Germany 1957 to 1970

Austria rocket trials

AustriaFriedrichSchmiedl

Born 14.05.1902 in Schwertberg
(Austria)

Died 11.09.1994 in
Graz (Austria)

Schmiedl was chemist and inventor

Most famoust inventor and pioneer on that field and launched his frist rocket mail R1

In the years between 1928 and 1935 Schmiedlecarried out a lot of experiments with rocketmails.

On 10.06.1928 he launched his own constructed stratosphere balloon FS1 and lauched in an altitude of 16.000 m his first solid rocket FS1.

On 09.09.1931 has been started the first official rocket mail R1 which has been carried for the first time in history letters for delivery ( post of
transport rocket mails).

Roberti launched his first rockets in the Netherlands, later as well in France and Belgium.

Rocket trials by him in the USA may 1936 during the stampexhibition was not realized.

France Charles Roberti

No biodatas are known from Charles Roberti.

He was born in the Netherlands

Some rockets trials have been carried out as well in France, but the rocket trial with the rocket P 28 from Calais (France) to Dover (United Kingdom) over
the Channel has not been permitted by the french authorities.

Italy

Netherlands/Belgium /Luxembourg Adam J. de Bruijn

born 08.11.1901 Amsterdam (Netherlands)

died 27.09.1969 Arnhem
(Netherlands)

The exact number of rocket launches where de Bruijn has been responsible or where he has been constructed the rockets is not known.

But he started already in the year 1921 with his first rocket trials.

Switzerland

Rocket trials India

India Stephen
Smith

Born 14.02.1891
in Shillong (India)

Died 15.02.1951

Famous pioneer in India and carried out a huge number of rocket trials.

His first rocket experiment has been undertaken on 30.09.1934, so called ship to shore, and launched from the ship Pancy in direction to the
beach.

He carried out more than 250 rocket trials until the year 1944, that means over a time period of around ten years and with the rocket trial
No.65 the first trial in history rocket flights with vertebrates (Live Stock), the hen EVA and the cock ADAM, which survived this experiment for many years.

Rocket trials Amerika

USA Willy Ley

Born 02.10.1906 in
Berlin (Germany)

died 24.07.1969 in New York
(USA)

He supported together with Hermann Oberth and Rudolf Nebel as technical assistent the movie from Fritz Lang "Frau im Mond" 1929.

He moved 1935 to the US where he worked as an engineer and later as a professor at University.

At the same day 922 covers has been transported back with 5 rockets from Mexico to USA.

Totally it have been carried out 13 different rocket launches in the year 1936

Canada/USA

During the 3rd international stampexhibition in New York 1936, several rocket trials by Gerhard Zucker or Charles Roberti should be carried out, but no
rocket was launched, all existing covers are not flown.